| Sumario: | Aims: To estimate the aggregated effect sizes of reward‐related decision‐making deficits in internet gaming disorder (IGD) and to explore potential moderators on the variability of effect sizes across studies. Design Review of peer‐reviewed studies comparing reward‐related decision‐making performance between IGD and control participants identified via PubMed, Web of Science and ProQuest databases. Random‐effects modeling was conducted using Hedge's g as the effect size (ES). The effects of decision‐making situation, valence, sample type, testing environment, IGD severity and self‐reported impulsivity on decision‐making differences were examined by moderator analyses. Setting: No restrictions on location. Participants: Twenty‐four studies (20 independent samples) were included in the meta‐analysis, resulting in 604 IGD and 641 control participants and 35 ESs. Measures Reward‐related decision‐making differences between IGD and control groups. Findings The overall ES for decision‐making deficits in IGD was small (g = −0.45, P < 0.01). The effects were comparable across risky, ambiguous and inter‐temporal decision‐making. Larger aggregate ESs were identified for pure‐gain and mixed compared with pure‐loss decision‐making. Studies based on clinical and community samples showed similar effects. No significant difference between behavioral studies and those with extra measurements was observed. Decision‐making alterations were not closely associated with IGD severity or self‐reported impulsivity differences at the study level. Conclusions: Internet gaming disorder appears to be consistently associated with reward‐related decision‐making deficits.
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